PETALING JAYA: The stay of execution granted to the suspended seven Harimau Malaya players has certainly given some of them much needed relief as they are now allowed to resume football activities, but their futures remain uncertain.
Rodrigo Holgado, one of the seven mixed-heritage players, shared on social media that he was relieved after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had put his 12-month suspension on hold.
“When you least expect it, the sun appears again and everything is fine again.
“No storm lasts forever,” said Holgado on social media.
However, the 30-year-old could be without a team after Colombian side America de Cali believed to have offloaded Holgado last November.
The same fate also awaits Gabriel Palmero after his former club CD Tenerife ended his contract in November.
Holgado and Palmero, together with Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, were all allowed to resume football activities, pending CAS’ final ruling.
There was some extra good news for Garces after Spanish club Deportivo Alaves confirmed that the 26-year-old will be back training with the squad.
Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) players Figueiredo, Irazabal and Hevel should be heading back to the Southern Tigers’ squad, but no official word has been issued from the club.
Machuca, who last played on loan for Argentine club Velez Sarsfield from Brazilian club Fortaleza, is apparently in talks with the teams to make a return to Velez.
Previously, FIFA had imposed a 12-month suspension on the players after they were alleged to have doctored documents in relation to their eligibility to play for Malaysia.
FIFA also fined the Football Association of Malaysia 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.8mil).
Meanwhile, the country’s football fraternity await in bated breath as FAM hold their exco meeting today amid wide speculation that all of them could resign.
